Army officer scholarship scheme

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Crow

I am currently considering applying for a scholarship and I had a few questions. I would really appreciate it if I could get a few answers.
1) is the scholarship mainly for those at state schools or at a slight economic advantage or is it for everyone? (I go to a private school but could really use the scholarship.)
2) do you have to be very academic? Is this what they look for? Or is it more about leadership and the academic aspect is only a 'culling' aspect.
3) is it very hard to get a scholarship? I am a good leader and I and I am somewhat academic.

I have always wanted to join the army and could not think of a better job.
Once again I would really appreciate some help with this

LE

1. The Army Scholarship scheme is for everyone: it doesn't matter whether you're at a state or independent school.

2 & 3. You need to be a good academic prospect. You will need to achieve at least 46 ALIS points from your best seven subjects at GCSE (or equivalent) and to subsequently meet the UCAS points requirement at A level. They are difficult to get, not least because the army is taking quite a punt in selecting candidates five years before they are likely to attend the commissioning course. The standard required is higher than for candidates attending a normal main board at AOSB.

LE

I tried in 1976, and failed - was a big knock, mainly because I realised I'd have to do RCB! Still, later having gone through the mill it meant I could look on 'scholars' with scorn

Edited to add: Having just actually read the OP's post - you sound remarkably like me.
Stick in there, don't ever give up - ever.

Good luck.

The stopped clock of The Belfast Telegraph seems to indicate the
time
Of the explosion - or was that last week's? Difficult to keep
track:
Everything's a bit askew, like the twisted pickets of the
security gate, the wreaths,
That approximate the spot where I'm told the night patrol
went through.

MIA

That's a real shame. I failed an RAF flying scholarship at a similar age. I was heart broken at the time and even more so, when the bloke from our school who got it, had a 'crisis of conscience' about carrying nuclear weapons and mugged Crab Air off.

LE

My room mate here at Cranwell got one for the RAF; said it was a fairly difficult process but the fact he was going for a job they were in dire need of helped (engineer in this case). He subsequently went to Welbeck defence sixth form college and on to university before landing on the same commissioning course as me.

Having just asked him if it was worth it, he said it was daunting to attend the officer selection at 15, and that he felt a bit alienated as every other twat there just harped on about the fact they were a sergeant in the cadets - he still got through though so worth a punt for sure.

_________________________________________________"If at first you don't succeed... excessive force is probably the best answer."

They asked me to impersonate 'Colonel Callan' so the question set hadn't changed much.

The stopped clock of The Belfast Telegraph seems to indicate the
time
Of the explosion - or was that last week's? Difficult to keep
track:
Everything's a bit askew, like the twisted pickets of the
security gate, the wreaths,
That approximate the spot where I'm told the night patrol
went through.

LE

All I had to do was remember firing squad drills - I can't have been very good because I didn't pass...............

The stopped clock of The Belfast Telegraph seems to indicate the
time
Of the explosion - or was that last week's? Difficult to keep
track:
Everything's a bit askew, like the twisted pickets of the
security gate, the wreaths,
That approximate the spot where I'm told the night patrol
went through.

Unlike you, I also went on to fail RCB. Didn't take your advice though -- they encouraged me to come back in a couple of years, but I never did. Took a TA commission a few years later and had some fun, but I sometimes wonder what would have happened if ...

LE

But was it as good as John Bird's?
To the OP, I know several officers who got scholarships and also at least one (likely more but it's not something that gets discussed that often) officer who applied and was unsuccessful. Good luck to you, but it's not the end of the road if it doesn't work out at this stage. Some people just develop late.

LE

"...I avow my hope and faith, sure and inviolate, that in the days to come the British and American peoples will for their own safety and for the good of all walk together side by side in majesty, in justice, and in peace"